[procaare] Re: Endorsement of Michel Sidibe's candidacy for ED ofthe GFATM (2)

["Terje Anderson" <tanderson@napwa.org>]

Re: Endorsement of Michel Sidibe's candidacy for ED ofthe GFATM (2)
- Terje Anderson
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Shame on you Joep Lange!

Your email attacking the endorsement of 3 major African AIDS organisations for Michel Sidibe's candidact for the GFATM director's job as "politically correct blaba" was completely uncalled for.  To cavalierly dismiss organisations' engagement in this selection by declaring "shame on you" is a fundamentally anti-democratic attack on the right of groups from southern countries to make their own decisions -- they don't need your permission or approval to endorse any candidate.

You don't seem to understand the frustration that many Africans legitimately feel about their exclusion from meaningful leadership in the global AIDS crisis... while a majority of people living with HIV in the world are in Africa, people from Europe and North America (largely white men) seem to continue to be the ones calling all of the shots at groups such as the GFATM, UNAIDS, IAS, etc...  It is no surprise that African organisations would coalesce around an African candidate over the perception of yet another candidate from the northern white boys club.

I'm not involved in this election process and I'm not personally endorsing any candidates - I agree that M. Kazatchinkine would be a good choice, as would M. Sidibe and Ms. Johnson. But dismissing the viewpoint of these African organisations is completely uncalled for. By all means, campaign all you want for the candidate you support, but please spare us the self-righteous denunciations of African organisations that happen to disagree with your choice of candidates. 

Terje Anderson
Email: tanderson@napwa.org